Steering device for automobiles



Oct. 13; 1931. R. A. FRONE I STEERING DEVICE FOR'AUTOMOBILES Filed June 9, 1930 rs/v T08.- m .19. v /zone. 4 gm Patented a. 13, 1931 EROBFEBQ n-grieoivnjor pErRoir, iiirrorueen" smsmqamca Application filed June 9,

This inventionrelates improvementsin the steering apparatus {Or n automobile, and provides a device of-this character which presents adistinctivelynew type of construction, whereby a decidedly more positive con- I for this purpose.

' frontivvheels, is entirely elimin ated', thus pre venting the result of this commonly known i In the use ofthe Worm type ofconstruction. for the steering unit, it is readilyiunderstood that vibration or the loss of control of the menace :found in almost every type otautdmobile of the presenttime,-;and:wh1le" the invention embodies, 1 manyg other "advantages 1 .T he invention possesses humorousfurther i advantages, all of which will be clearly; re-

vealed during the-courseof the detailed idescription to' follow; withinzthe "accompanyv rawings ,an d.more particularly pointed out in theappendedgclaims; i w l I With reference tog-the 1 drawings r assembly, vvith one halt of the housingtherefor removed. 1 7 Figure-Qis an elevation of the complete device with shaft brokenasyindicated. Figure 3 is an end :elevationwith portions broken away exposing' certaini inner por tions. alsoshowing how' the; device is conl nected to thegfront axleof thevehiclea Figure & isa top plan view: of-the complete device, and clearly indicatinghovv the-same is connected to the ;-tie rod of the automobile. Y Figure 5 is a front elevation of 'the bracketsffor securing the deviceto the'axle,iandi 7 showing a'partial-vieW of the-latter.

Figure. 6 .is a longitudinal, of the driven gear and indicatingthe spiral threads through the centerof the same. I

' Figure :is an end' elevation' of one of the a WM 'B P P T 1930'." sefiai tol'45a99s; I .Figure9 anend elevation bushing 'of the device. Y I p Figure 10 atop plan-view of the'lower supporting bracket of the'device;

Theinvention comprises a complete housing which consists of half members indicated by the numeral 1, preferably of a suitable cast metal, a'ndthe said members being identical in formation'ex'cep't fora slight difiere'nce of an extended boss upon vone of oi: thelsplit i -With reference. to Figuresl and 2'it is seen I that members 1 andlA'are substantially .con-

nected by aplurality'of bo'lts 2, with the cusi tomaryi 'n'ut and lockwashen' and "a corre spondingnumber ofaperturesfi in the said members 1 vvhere indicated for the said bolts;

Surface 4 of nembers l and" 1A being of a uniform "plane; and gasket :5 conforming to the said surfaces an d is clamped between them when the complete housing is thereby assembled-r *"Throughout the drawings the conne'ctinl :1

elements of-the automobile areindicatedby 1' w respective letters Whilethe invention proper is designated "by; reference numerals. I

Figure 1 is; asectional view of-thfe complete *IGomp'letelv enclosed within the housin -is the mechanism of'the device which embodies drivingge'arfithaving spur teeth 7 thereu on naledinybushings 10 within'boss' not meal: 7 T

' ber 1-. "'an(il boss of inember'1A;;as seen in f" 'Firzure 3." Felt ring 13 is retained-by fexter- I nallvthrea ded ril 1g r453 sheen in Figers 2; a

and 3.

" -Driven gear, 15 is provided and isin direct mesh'vvithfgear(Land hassirnilar 'sbirali:

formedspur teeth as clearly indiciated iniFiQI- ure 1 ,"andinFigure 6it is seen that gear. 15

has integral sleeveportions 16} and spirali formed threads 17 extending entirelythrough the center opening of this complete element;

Portions' lfi ofthe said gear are'journal'ed Within respective bushings 18, and the said bushings having integral lug 19 to prevent rotatable movement of the same, and the said mi lug Within a similarly formed recessed por Shaft has yoke formed upon the outer end thereof to engage arm 26 by meansof bolt 27 with the usual nutand lock washer for same. The opposite end of the said arm engages members 28 and 28A by bolts 29 with nut and lock washer, and the said members connected to tie rod A, as indicated in Figure 8. Ample clearance is provided for the P ends of arm 26 in yoke 25 of shaft 20, and

portion 29A of members 28 and 28A, in. order that both of these joints will permit free oscillation of the ends of t-he said arm.

The device is rigidly mounted upon axle B by means of upper bracket 30 and lower bracket 31, and by referring to Figure 3 it is noted that bracket 30 is secured to boss 12 of member 1A by cap screws 32, and lock washers as shown. Bracket 81 being connected to the housing of-the device by two of the bolts that are indicated by the numeral 2. His also observed in Figure 3 that brackets 30 and 31 are respectively formed to conform to axle B. The approximate relation of the location of the device in relation to spring C is clearly indicated in Figure 4:.

The details of construction of thecomplete device ,having been fully explained in the course of the preceding paragraphs, the operation of the same follows:

Shaft 8 has positive relation with the steer ing wheel of the vehicle by intermediate shafts and universals, or this relation may be effected by other elements, or in any approved manner. i

Referring to Figure 1, the teeth upon gears 6 and 15, threads 17 of gear 15, and threads 21 of shaft 20 are all arranged in the proper relationin order that when'the steering wheel is rotatably moved to actuate gear 6 inthe direction of arrow D, shaft'20 will move'in the direction of arrow F, thus directing the path of the vehicle wheels to theleft, whereupon when the steering wheel is similarlyrotated in the direction of arrow E,.shaft 20 will move in the course of arrow G, and likewisedirect the path of the said wheels to the right, when the tie rodA is positioned to the rear of the axle B. The normal position of the device in all the views throughout the drawings are retaining the vehicle wheels in direct parallel relation with the vehicle. i

While the device may effectively become a standard unit of the vehicle, a very important advantage is that it may be readily applied to any vehicle without interference with any parts thereof, and only a slight alteration being necessary in the installation of the same.

It is now understood that when gear 15 is rotated by gear .6, and by virtue of'internal threads 17 within gear 15, external threads 21 upon-shaft 20 will convey the said shaft in the directionthe gear 15 is being rotated. Portions16 of gear 15 are retained in one rotatable position by bushings 18, and the said bushings formed so as to provide suitable end thrust bearings for the gear 15, and this is one of the outstanding features of the invention, in that any end play or lost motion of gear 15 is thereby positively eliminated". 1

In total absence of arms, ball sockets, springs, and the like, lost motion from wear in the joints-ofthese connecting elements is completely avoided, and the entireapparatus is rendered more stabilized, and withmaximum strength required, and with the ease characteristic to worm mechanism, the control of the apparatus is vastly improved and by far rendered more positive and safe.

Inthis invention torsion is in direct relation'with axle B, whereas in. the customary steering apparatus .of the present time, the torsion is in relation to the frame of the ve-. hicle, therefore maximum torsion of the said frame if subjected to uneven surfaces will not affect the relation of the normal operation of the device under the most severe circumstances.

In view of this device elfecting a more safe andpos'itive control of the steering mecha: nism of the vehicle, it is needless to mention the unlimited value acquired in its applicationto trucks, racing cars, and every branch of the design of the modern automobile.

' Still another advantage of the invention, and one of no less importance than those heretofore related, and this is due to the eX- treme simple manner of construction embodied, it may be readily manufactured at a low' cost which makes it possible to place same upon the market at a price not prohibitive consistent with all advantages derived, which is of course highly important from a commercial viewpoint.

While I have herein illustrated one precise embodiment of my invention, the same is nevertheless" susceptible to certain minor changes in the details of construction, or of design, if found to become necessary during anyprobable further development, however in the event'of any changes thus indicated, a departure from the general principle as disclosed, would be consistently avoided.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim asnew is:

A steering device in combination witha housing enclosure therefor," a mechanism within the said housing comprising a spiraliformed driving gear, thesaid gearmounted andkeyed upon a horizontal shaft that is journaled within the saidhousing, the said shaft connected to the steering mechanism of the vehicle through intermediate elements, a spiraliformed driven gear directly in'mesh with the aforesaid driving gear, a laterally I extending integral sleeve portion upon each side of the said driven gear, the;said sleeve portions journaled within; respective bushi ings, and the said bushings forming end thrust bearings for the said sleeve portions,

the said bushings being stationary with the aforesaid enclosure; a horizontal'shaft disposed atright angles to the first-named shaft, and having spiraliformed external threads upon aportion of the same, and the said threads toengagea similar internally threaded sleeve through the aforesaid driven gear, of the device; the outer end of the last-' named shaft secured to an arm, and the 0p-v posite end of the said arm secured to the tie rod of the vehicle, and both of thesaid joints Y the vehicle;

being free to oscillate, in order that the front wheels of the vehicle may be controlled by the mechanism of the device in direct re- 'sponse to the actionof the steering wheel of In testimony whereof :I hereuntoafiix my signature. c

ROBERT A. FRONE. 

